EP0675553B1 - Procédé de fabrication d'un matériau pour jonction supraconductrice - Google Patents

Procédé de fabrication d'un matériau pour jonction supraconductrice Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0675553B1
EP0675553B1 EP95302185A EP95302185A EP0675553B1 EP 0675553 B1 EP0675553 B1 EP 0675553B1 EP 95302185 A EP95302185 A EP 95302185A EP 95302185 A EP95302185 A EP 95302185A EP 0675553 B1 EP0675553 B1 EP 0675553B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
layer
superconducting
mtorr
substrate
josephson junction
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP95302185A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0675553A1 (fr
Inventor
Manabu Fujimoto
Katsumi Suzuki
Youichi C/O Supercon.Res.Lab. Enomoto
Shoji C/O Supercon.Res.Lab. Tanaka
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
International Superconductivity Technology Center
Sharp Corp
Original Assignee
International Superconductivity Technology Center
Sharp Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by International Superconductivity Technology Center, Sharp Corp filed Critical International Superconductivity Technology Center
Publication of EP0675553A1 publication Critical patent/EP0675553A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0675553B1 publication Critical patent/EP0675553B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N69/00—Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one superconducting element covered by group H10N60/00
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N60/00—Superconducting devices
    • H10N60/01—Manufacture or treatment
    • H10N60/0912—Manufacture or treatment of Josephson-effect devices
    • H10N60/0941—Manufacture or treatment of Josephson-effect devices comprising high-Tc ceramic materials
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N60/00—Superconducting devices
    • H10N60/20—Permanent superconducting devices
    • H10N60/205—Permanent superconducting devices having three or more electrodes, e.g. transistor-like structures 
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S505/00—Superconductor technology: apparatus, material, process
    • Y10S505/725—Process of making or treating high tc, above 30 k, superconducting shaped material, article, or device
    • Y10S505/728—Etching

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a process of producing a superconductor junction device having an oxide substrate provided with one or more flux flow elements and one or more Josephson junction elements.
  • Newmann, C. et al propose a YBaCuO Josephson junction produced by a method in which a YBaCuO film is grown on a MgO substrate which has been damaged with a focused Ga-ion beam to form a weak link (Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 32 , No. 2, L727-L729 1993) and Physica C, 210, 138-146 (1993)).
  • This method permits the formation of a Josephson junction on a desired area on a substrate with good reproducibility and with a high degree of precision.
  • the present invention provides a process of producing a superconducting junction device, comprising the steps of:
  • steps (b) and (d) being carried out at different oxygen partial pressures so that either one of said first and second patterns of said superconducting layers forms a Josephson junction element having a weak link just above the corresponding damaged portion with the other said pattern of said superconducting layers forming a flux flow junction element having a weak link just above the corresponding damaged portion (claim 1).
  • Fig. 1 schematically depicts an example of a junction material which can be produced according to the present invention.
  • Designated as 11 is a substrate of a single crystal such as MgO, SrTiO 3 , NdGaO 3 , LaAlO 3 or LaGaO 3 . If desired, a mixed crystal of one or more of these single crystals may be used. It is important that the substrate 11 have a substantially flat surface.
  • the term "substantially flat surface” used herein is intended to refer to such a surface that a superconductive layer provided thereon has crystal orientation substantially equal throughout that surface. Thus, the presence of small grooves or steps in a surface of the substrate 1 is permissible for the purpose of the present invention as long as the crystal orientation of a superconductor layer provided on that surface is substantially unvaried over the surface.
  • the Josephson junction element 100 is formed of a first superconductive oxide layer 15a having weak links 16b and 16c and is utilized, in the illustrated embodiment, as a highly sensitive sensor such as for detecting magneticity, light or a high frequency wave.
  • the flux flow element 200 is formed of a second superconductive oxide layer 15b having a weak link 16a and is utilized as a transistor.
  • FIG. 1 One preferred embodiment of the fabrication of the junction material of Fig. 1 will be described with reference to Figs. 2(a)-2(e).
  • the substrate 11 is first coated with a normal metal, such as Au, Pd or Pt, to form a protecting layer 12 over the flat surface thereof.
  • a normal metal such as Au, Pd or Pt
  • the formation of the protecting layer 12 may be suitably performed by vacuum deposition.
  • the protecting layer 12 generally has a thickness of 0.01-0.4 ⁇ m, preferably 0.02-0.2 ⁇ m.
  • the coated substrate 11 is then irradiated with a focused ion beam at any desired position so that the irradiated portion of the protecting layer 12 is etched and removed and damaged portions 14a-14c are defined in the substrate 1 at the desired position, as shown in Fig. 2(b).
  • the damaged portions 14a-14c contain the implanted ion and serves to form weak links as described hereinafter.
  • the focused ion beam is preferably Ga + ion beam.
  • the beam diameter is preferably in the range of 10-100 nm and the beam current is in the range of 1 pA - 60 nA. Because of the presence of the protecting layer 12, the scattering of the ion can be minimized so that the width of the damaged portions 14a-14c can be maintained as small as 300 nm or less.
  • the protecting layer 12 also serves to prevent the formation of a large trench in the substrate 11.
  • Each of the damaged portions 14a-14c is of a flat type and the depth thereof is generally not greater than 100 nm.
  • the protecting layer 12 is completely removed from the substrate 11 as shown in Fig. 2(b).
  • an argon ion milling method or a wet method using an aqueous solution containing KI and I is suitable for reasons of prevention of adverse affection on the substrate 11.
  • a first layer 15a of an oxide superconductor is then formed by vacuum deposition on the surface of the substrate 11 from which the protecting layer 12 has been removed and which bears the damaged portions 14a-14c (Fig. 2(c)). Since those portions of the superconductor layer 15a that are located just above the damaged portions 14a-14c are grown under an influence of the damaged portions, the crystallinity of those portions is disturbed, so that weak links 16a-16c are defined in the superconducting layer 15 at positions just above the damaged portions 14a-14c, respectively.
  • the oxide superconductor is preferably a YBaCuO superconductor, such as YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x or YBa 2 Cu 4 O 8-x .
  • the thickness of the superconductor layer 15a is generally in the range of 0.05-0.6 ⁇ m, preferably 0.1-0.4 ⁇ m.
  • the formation of the superconductor layer 15a may be performed by a pulse laser deposition method, a magnetron sputtering method or like conventional method at a specific, first oxygen partial pressure as described hereinafter. It is preferred that the deposition of the superconductor layer 15a be performed while maintaining the temperature of the substrate 11 at 720-800°C, more preferably 740-790°C, for reasons of obtaining a desired superconducting oxide crystal film.
  • the superconductor layer 15a is then overlaid with a photoresist mask 18 (Fig. 2(d)) and patterned by, for example, photolithography and dry etching with argon ion or chemical etching, thereby to form a pattern 15a (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2(e)) which intersects the damaged portions 14b and 14c.
  • a Josephson junction element 100 having weak links 16b and 16c is formed on the substrate 11.
  • a second, oxide superconductor layer 15b is formed on the substrate 11 bearing the Josephson junction element 100 in the same manner as in the formation of the first superconductor layer 15a except that a different, second oxygen partial pressure is used as described hereinafter (Fig. 2(f)).
  • the second superconductor layer 15b is then subjected to photolithography and patterning in the same manner as described above to form a pattern 15b (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2(g)) which intersects the damaged portions 14a.
  • a flux flow element 200 having weak links 16a is formed on the substrate 11.
  • junction characteristics can be controlled by control of the oxygen partial pressure at which the vacuum deposition of an oxide superconductor on a damaged portion-bearing substrate is performed and that a Josephson junction element and a flux flow element can be selectively obtained at different oxygen partial pressures.
  • the oxygen partial pressure (the first pressure in the above embodiment) is not greater than 19.95 Pa (150 mTorr), preferably between 9.975-19.95 Pa (75-150 mTorr), more preferably 13.3-19.285 Pa (100-145 mTorr), a Josephson junction is formed on the substrate.
  • a flux flow element is obtained when the oxygen partial pressure (the second pressure in the above embodiment) is greater than 19.95 Pa (150 mTorr), preferably between 20.61-39.9 Pa (155-300 mTorr), more preferably 20.61-26.6 Pa (155-200 mTorr).
  • the flux flow element is distinguished from the Josephson junction element in that a magnetic flux which has penetrated into the weak link of the former element can flow therethrough, whereas a magnetic flux which has penetrated into the weak link of the latter element is pinned thereat.
  • the oxide superconductor layer 15a may be formed of an oxide superconductor having a composition which is the same as or different from that of the layer 15b.
  • a Josephson junction element as shown in Fig. 3 was prepared.
  • One surface of a single crystal MgO (100) substrate 11 was coated with Au by vacuum deposition at 1.33x10 -7 Pa (10 -6 mTorr) to form a protecting layer of Au having a thickness of about 100 nm.
  • This was then disposed in a focused ion beam apparatus and was irradiated, in a micro area of 0.1 ⁇ m x 20 ⁇ m, with focused Ga + ion beam at an acceleration voltage of 30 keV and a beam current of 1 pA so that there was formed a damaged portion 14 into which Ga infiltrated and which had a shallow groove with a depth of 40-80 nm.
  • the Au layer was then removed by chemical etching with a solution obtained by dissolving 4 g of KI and 1 g of I in 150 g of distilled water.
  • a YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x was then deposited on the substrate 11 by a pulse laser deposition method at an oxygen partial pressure of 13.3 Pa (100 mTorr) and a substrate temperature of 770°C to form a YBaCuO superconductor layer 15 having a thickness of 300 nm.
  • the YBaCuO layer 15 was deposited under the influence of the damaged portion 14 of the substrate 11 so that the crystallinity of that portion of the YBaCuO layer 15 positioned just above the damaged portion 14 was disturbed.
  • the YBaCuO layer 15 was then patterned by photolithography and dry etching with argon ion to form a pattern as shown in Fig.
  • the intersecting region of the YBaCuO pattern represents a weak link 16 of the thus obtained Josephson junction element.
  • Fig. 4 shows voltage-current characteristics of the above Josephson junction element at 14 K without microwave irradiation
  • Fig. 5 shows Shapiro step characteristics of the above Josephson junction element measured at 15 K with a strong microwave irradiation of 25 GHz.
  • a Josephson junction may be explained by a resistively shunted junction (RSJ) model in which a distributed capacity, a quasiparticle conductance and a nonlinear Josephson junction element are connected in parallel.
  • Fig. 6 shows voltage-current characteristics of the above Josephson -junction, from which it will be noted that the curve is downwardly convex and, thus, is of a RSJ type. From the results shown in Figs. 5 and 6, it will be appreciated that the Josephson junction thus formed exhibits excellent performance.
  • RSJ resistively shunted junction
  • Figs. 8 and 9 show oxygen partial pressure dependence of the critical temperature and c-axis length, respectively.
  • an oxygen partial pressure of 6.65 Pa (50 mTorr) the critical temperature is significantly lowered with the simultaneous increase of the c-axis length.
  • a superconductor junction element having a Josephson junction element 100 and a flux flow element 200 as shown in Fig. 1 was prepared.
  • One surface of a single crystal MgO (100) substrate 11 was coated with Au by vacuum deposition at 1.33x10 -7 Pa (10 -6 mTorr) to form a protecting layer of Au having a thickness of about 100 nm.
  • the Au layer was then removed by chemical etching with a solution obtained by dissolving 4 g of KI and 1 g of I in 150 g of distilled water.
  • a YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x oxide was then deposited on the substrate 11 by a pulse laser deposition method at an oxygen partial pressure of 13.3 Pa (100 mTorr) and a substrate temperature of 770°C to form a YBaCuO superconductor layer having a thickness of 300 nm.
  • the YBaCuO layer was deposited under the influence of the damaged portions 14a-14c of the substrate 11 so that the crystallinity of those portions of the YBaCuO layer positioned just above the damaged portions 14a-14c was disturbed.
  • the YBaCuO layer was then patterned by photolithography and dry etching with argon ion to form a pattern 15a having weak links 16b and 16c each having a width of 5 ⁇ m and a length of 30 ⁇ m and each located just above the damaged portions 14b and 14c.
  • a YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x oxide was then deposited on the substrate 11 by a pulse laser deposition method at an oxygen partial pressure of 26.6 Pa (200 mTorr) and a substrate temperature of 770°C to form a YBaCuO superconductor layer having a thickness of 300 nm.
  • the YBaCuO layer was then patterned by photolithography and dry etching with argon ion to form a pattern 15b having weak link 16a which had a width of 5 ⁇ m and a length of 30 ⁇ m and which was located just above the damaged portions 14a.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Superconductor Devices And Manufacturing Methods Thereof (AREA)

Claims (6)

  1. Procédé de production d'un dispositif de jonction supraconductrice, comprenant les étapes de :
    (a) irradiation d'une surface d'un substrat monocristallin (11) avec un faisceau d'ions focalisé, afin de former au moins deux parties (14a à 14c) endommagées;
    (b) formation ensuite d'une première couche d'oxyde (15a) supraconductrice par un procédé de dépôt sous vide sur ladite surface;
    (c) élimination sélective subséquente d'une partie prédéterminée de ladite première couche supraconductrice (15a), afin d'exposer une partie de ladite surface conjointement avec l'une desdites parties endommagées (14a) et de laisser au moins un premier motif sur ladite première couche supraconductrice (15a) entrecoupant au moins l'autre des parties endommagées (14b, 14c);
    (d) formation ensuite d'une deuxième couche d'oxyde (15b) supraconductrice par un procédé de dépôt sous vide sur ladite couche exposée, y compris ladite partie endommagée exposée; et
    (e) élimination sélective subséquente d'une partie prédéterminée de ladite deuxième couche (15b) supraconductrice, afin de laisser au moins un deuxième motif de ladite deuxième couche supraconductrice (15b) entrecoupant au moins une partie endommagée exposée (14a);
       les étapes (b) et (d) étant exécutées à des pressions partielles d'oxygène différentes, de manière que l'un ou l'autre desdits premier et deuxième motifs desdites couches supraconductrices forme un élément de jonction Josephson (100), ayant une liaison faible (16b, 16c) juste au-dessus de la partie endommagée correspondante, tandis que l'autre dit motif desdites couches supraconductrices forme un élément de jonction à écoulement de flux (200), ayant une liaison faible (16a) juste au-dessus de la partie endommagée (14a) correspondante.
  2. Procédé selon la revendication 1, dans lequel l'étape (b) est exécutée à une pression partielle d'oxygène d'au moins 13,3 Pa (100 mTorr), mais ne dépassant pas 19,95 Pa (150 mTorr), afin de former ledit élément de jonction Josephson (100), et l'étape (d) est exécutée à une pression partielle d'oxygène supérieure à 19,95 (150 mTorr), mais ne dépassant pas 26,6 Pa (200 mTorr), afin de former l'élément à écoulement de flux (200).
  3. Procédé selon la revendication 1 ou la revendication 2, dans lequel, avant l'étape (a), ladite surface est recouverte par une couche d'or (12), ladite couche d'or étant éliminée avant l'étape (b).
  4. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel ledit faisceau d'ions focalisé est un faisceau d'ions Ga+ focalisé.
  5. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel les étapes (c) et (e) sont chacune exécutées par une attaque chimique ou une attaque au plasma.
  6. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel les étapes (b) et (d) sont chacune exécutées par un dépôt au laser pulsé, à une température de substrat comprise dans la plage allant de 720 à 800°C.
EP95302185A 1994-04-01 1995-03-31 Procédé de fabrication d'un matériau pour jonction supraconductrice Expired - Lifetime EP0675553B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP6065077A JP2963614B2 (ja) 1994-04-01 1994-04-01 酸化物超電導体接合素子の製造方法
JP65077/94 1994-04-01

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0675553A1 EP0675553A1 (fr) 1995-10-04
EP0675553B1 true EP0675553B1 (fr) 1998-09-02

Family

ID=13276537

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP95302185A Expired - Lifetime EP0675553B1 (fr) 1994-04-01 1995-03-31 Procédé de fabrication d'un matériau pour jonction supraconductrice

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US5571778A (fr)
EP (1) EP0675553B1 (fr)
JP (1) JP2963614B2 (fr)
DE (1) DE69504390T2 (fr)

Families Citing this family (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP3392653B2 (ja) * 1996-09-02 2003-03-31 財団法人国際超電導産業技術研究センター 酸化物超電導体ジョセフソン接合素子及びその製造方法
JP3367878B2 (ja) * 1997-09-30 2003-01-20 財団法人国際超電導産業技術研究センター 酸化物超電導体素子の製造方法
US6239431B1 (en) 1998-11-24 2001-05-29 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of Commerce Superconducting transition-edge sensor with weak links
US7015499B1 (en) 1999-12-01 2006-03-21 D-Wave Systems, Inc. Permanent readout superconducting qubit
US6459097B1 (en) 2000-01-07 2002-10-01 D-Wave Systems Inc. Qubit using a Josephson junction between s-wave and d-wave superconductors
US6504172B2 (en) 2001-03-16 2003-01-07 D-Wave Systems, Inc. Superconducting dot/anti-dot flux qubit based on time-reversal symmetry breaking effects
JP3511098B2 (ja) * 2001-09-14 2004-03-29 独立行政法人産業技術総合研究所 超高速光電気信号変換素子
MD174Z (ro) * 2009-05-19 2010-10-31 Институт Электронной Инженерии И Промышленных Технологий Академии Наук Молдовы Material semiconductor
MD323Z (ro) * 2009-12-29 2011-08-31 Институт Электронной Инженерии И Промышленных Технологий Академии Наук Молдовы Microfir termoelectric în izolaţie de sticlă
CN111755587B (zh) * 2019-03-26 2022-06-21 中国科学院上海微系统与信息技术研究所 场效应超导纳米桥结及其结构和制备方法

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH01161881A (ja) * 1987-12-18 1989-06-26 Nec Corp ジョセフソン素子およびその製造方法
US5077266A (en) * 1988-09-14 1991-12-31 Hitachi, Ltd. Method of forming weak-link josephson junction, and superconducting device employing the junction
US5262395A (en) * 1992-03-12 1993-11-16 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Superconducting active impedance converter
US5356870A (en) * 1992-03-26 1994-10-18 Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. Method for processing superconducting thin films

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US5571778A (en) 1996-11-05
EP0675553A1 (fr) 1995-10-04
JPH07273379A (ja) 1995-10-20
DE69504390D1 (de) 1998-10-08
JP2963614B2 (ja) 1999-10-18
DE69504390T2 (de) 1999-01-14

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US5481119A (en) Superconducting weak-link bridge
US5925892A (en) Josephson junction element with an asymmetric groove providing a single weak link region
US5134117A (en) High tc microbridge superconductor device utilizing stepped edge-to-edge sns junction
US6476413B1 (en) High temperature superconducting Josephson junctions and SQUIDs
US5801393A (en) Superconductor-insulator-superconductor Josephson tunnel junction and method therefor
EP0675553B1 (fr) Procédé de fabrication d'un matériau pour jonction supraconductrice
JP3278638B2 (ja) 高温超伝導ジョセフソン接合およびその製造方法
US5439875A (en) Process for preparing Josephson junction device having weak link of artificial grain boundary
US5525582A (en) Josephson junction device formed of oxide superconductor and process for preparing the same
EP0660428B1 (fr) Procédé de fabrication d'une marche sur la surface de dépôt d'un substrat pour un dispositif supraconducteur comportant un supraconducteur d'oxyde
US20080146449A1 (en) Electrical device and method of manufacturing same
EP0597663B1 (fr) Procédé de fabrication d'une jonction Josephson
EP0524862B1 (fr) Dispositif à jonction Josephson en oxyde supraconducteur et procédé pour sa fabrication
US5721196A (en) Stacked tunneling and stepped grain boundary Josephson junction
US5612290A (en) Josephson junction device formed of oxide superconductor
JP2682136B2 (ja) ジョセフソン素子の製造方法
EP0545815B1 (fr) Dispositif à jonction Josephson en oxyde supraconducteur et procédé pour sa fabrication
EP0557207B1 (fr) Dispositif à jonction de type Josephson à supraconducteur d'oxyde et procédé de préparation
JP3147999B2 (ja) ジョセフソン接合素子及びその製造方法
JP2517081B2 (ja) 超伝導素子およびその製造方法
Hilgenkamp et al. Materials aspects of integrated high Tc dc-SQUID magnetometer fabrication
KR100282356B1 (ko) 고온초전도조셉슨접합소자및그의제조방법
Flokstra et al. Basic elements for photodeposited high Tc thin film devices
KR100480743B1 (ko) 고주파 플라즈마를 이용한 사면구조 고온 초전도 죠셉슨 접합구조체의 제조 방법
Setsune et al. Planar SNS Josephson junctions using multilayer Bi system

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): DE FR GB

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19951120

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 19960716

GRAG Despatch of communication of intention to grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS AGRA

GRAG Despatch of communication of intention to grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS AGRA

GRAH Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS IGRA

GRAH Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS IGRA

GRAA (expected) grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: B1

Designated state(s): DE FR GB

REF Corresponds to:

Ref document number: 69504390

Country of ref document: DE

Date of ref document: 19981008

ET Fr: translation filed
PLBE No opposition filed within time limit

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT

26N No opposition filed
REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: GB

Ref legal event code: IF02

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: GB

Ref legal event code: 732E

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: FR

Ref legal event code: TQ

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: GB

Ref legal event code: 732E

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: FR

Ref legal event code: TQ

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Payment date: 20060308

Year of fee payment: 12

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Payment date: 20060323

Year of fee payment: 12

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GB

Payment date: 20060329

Year of fee payment: 12

GBPC Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20070331

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: FR

Ref legal event code: ST

Effective date: 20071130

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20071002

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GB

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20070331

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20070402